Niijima: New Volcanic Island Emerging Off the Coast of Japan

SPACE — New images taken from space show an island formed by a volcanic explosion off the Pacific Sea coast of Japan at the end of October 2023 is still emerging. The new volcanic island, named Niijima, was imaged by the European Space Agency’s (ESA) Copernicus Sentinel-2 satellite on November 27.

The island continues to grow, indicating that underwater volcanic activity is still continuing. It was the volcano that gave birth to the island off the southern coast of Iwo Jima in October.

The University of Tokyo said the origins of Niijima can be traced to a volcanic eruption that began on October 21, 2023. On October 30, between 12.20 and 12.35 local time, scorching hot magma from the volcano met the sea and exploded.

It formed chunks of rock several feet long and threw them 50 meters into the air. When volcanic debris piled up and broke up the sea 1,200 kilometers south of Tokyo, an island was created. The process was also imaged from space by the NASA/US Geological Survey Landsat-9 satellite on November 3.

Also Read: New Island that Appears in Japan Now Visible from Space

Niijima has remained active since his explosive birth. On November 27, the Japanese Coast Guard shared footage on its X account (Twitter) showing the island rocked by a new volcanic eruption.

The video shows white steam and smoke rising from the smoldering island, before a large explosion occurs from its lower left side. Following the explosion, chunks of blackened volcanic rock trailing with smoke were seen falling back onto Niijima as the island was rocked by a series of smaller bursts.

Despite further explosions, new images of Niijima show the newly formed island remains intact, at least for now.

Japan Meteorological Agency’s volcanic division expert, Yuji Usui, said that the existence of Niijima and the island depends on the type of rock that makes up it. Sea water would wash away the more fragile rocks around the edges of the island, and volcanic activity would subside, causing Niijima to shrink.

However, that explanation does not fit with the new volcanic activity and island growth seen on November 27. If Niijima was mostly solidified lava, it would likely stick there. Meanwhile, if the rock is lighter and the bonds are looser, then it can spread into the Pacific.

“We just need to see how it develops, but this island probably won’t last long,” Usui said.

Also Read: Newly Appeared Island in Japan Has Another Massive Eruption

Iwo Jima and its new island, Niijima, lie atop a chain of underwater volcanoes that mark the so-called Ring of Fire. It’s a 40,000-kilometer horseshoe that stretches from the southern tip of South America, stretches along the coast of North America, across the Bering Strait, past Japan, and down to New Zealand. Source: Space.com

2023-12-07 11:18:00
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